Some of you have been helping me get this new NC-30 up to speed. It's in my basement workshop, and the problem has been maintaining an active fire with the door fully closed. Fire always burns great with the door open even a fraction.
When we left off, BrotherBart had stated the problem was either wood not fully seasoned, or the way I was building the fire.
Yesterday I went to a stack of maple sitting for almost three years in my shed, where it has never seen rain or snow. I split some of the larger splits, tested with the j-lite in the middle of the split, parallel to grain, at half-inch depths, and got readings between 15-20%.
I used those same splits to build a fire today, and did see some improvement. I put two splits N/S on the bottom, kindled between them, then added two splits E/W. I used smaller splits then last time, as it seems folks here have found that helps. Attached is a pic about 45 minutes later. The fire is going pretty well. Leaving a larger space between the bottom splits seemed to help, as I could see air getting sucked fast in between them. Temps along the sides of the stove are 450-480 or so. Temp at the pipe exiting the wall 240-250. The door is fully sealed.
However, the air inlet was fully open the whole time, and I never once thought I needed to close it. This is in contrast to BrotherBart, who has the same stove and a similar setup, though I'm not sure if his NC-30 is in a basement like mine is. He needs to actively restrain his fire.
During the mid-burn, there was zero smoke coming out of the chimney.
I thought though that the problem was mostly solved, and would fiddle more with the size of the splits and the geometery of the fire.
As the fire was dying though, to mostly red coals, I cracked the door just a hair, and I mean literally just a hair, barely enough to notice. Flames erupted throughout the coals, and pieces of wood I thought were dead started burning again.
Additionally, the flames that did appear were being whipped wildly backward.
Now, I might be new to all this woodburning, but this just doesn't seem right to me. The discussion this far has centered on either the draft being inadequate in the flue, or the wood not being seasoned, despite my measurements. I don't see how either of these is consistent with what I see the stove do. It seems to me that the flue must be working quite well, or else the air wouldn't be sucked so strongly into the stove with the door open just a hair. Similarly, unseasoned wood won't magically become seasoned when I open the door just a bit.
I'm not suggesting that there's a problem with the stove's design, at least not for most people. As BB points out, many here are using it successfully. I would question though if the stove is designed a bit too finicky for air, and my situation just doesn't cut it. The last option is that there is a partial blockage in the air passages, but nearly all of it is inaccessible to check.
Any other advice still appreciated.
When we left off, BrotherBart had stated the problem was either wood not fully seasoned, or the way I was building the fire.
Yesterday I went to a stack of maple sitting for almost three years in my shed, where it has never seen rain or snow. I split some of the larger splits, tested with the j-lite in the middle of the split, parallel to grain, at half-inch depths, and got readings between 15-20%.
I used those same splits to build a fire today, and did see some improvement. I put two splits N/S on the bottom, kindled between them, then added two splits E/W. I used smaller splits then last time, as it seems folks here have found that helps. Attached is a pic about 45 minutes later. The fire is going pretty well. Leaving a larger space between the bottom splits seemed to help, as I could see air getting sucked fast in between them. Temps along the sides of the stove are 450-480 or so. Temp at the pipe exiting the wall 240-250. The door is fully sealed.
However, the air inlet was fully open the whole time, and I never once thought I needed to close it. This is in contrast to BrotherBart, who has the same stove and a similar setup, though I'm not sure if his NC-30 is in a basement like mine is. He needs to actively restrain his fire.
During the mid-burn, there was zero smoke coming out of the chimney.
I thought though that the problem was mostly solved, and would fiddle more with the size of the splits and the geometery of the fire.
As the fire was dying though, to mostly red coals, I cracked the door just a hair, and I mean literally just a hair, barely enough to notice. Flames erupted throughout the coals, and pieces of wood I thought were dead started burning again.
Additionally, the flames that did appear were being whipped wildly backward.
Now, I might be new to all this woodburning, but this just doesn't seem right to me. The discussion this far has centered on either the draft being inadequate in the flue, or the wood not being seasoned, despite my measurements. I don't see how either of these is consistent with what I see the stove do. It seems to me that the flue must be working quite well, or else the air wouldn't be sucked so strongly into the stove with the door open just a hair. Similarly, unseasoned wood won't magically become seasoned when I open the door just a bit.
I'm not suggesting that there's a problem with the stove's design, at least not for most people. As BB points out, many here are using it successfully. I would question though if the stove is designed a bit too finicky for air, and my situation just doesn't cut it. The last option is that there is a partial blockage in the air passages, but nearly all of it is inaccessible to check.
Any other advice still appreciated.
IT IS A NECESSARY COMPONENT OF THE FIREBOX. ALSO PLEASE NOTE: THE CERAMIC FIBER BOARD MAY BECOME LOOSE DURING INITIAL SHIPPING. BE SURE IT IS LYING FLAT, ON TOP OF THE STAINLESS STEEL TUBES, AND PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THE UNIT, WITH NO GAPS BETWEEN IT AND THE BACK WALL.
